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The Argonauts
The Argonauts are an enigmatic group of scientists dedicated the the advancement of humanity as a whole. They are notorious for believing in open-source technology, and are not constrained by any governmental or corporate influence. They release blueprints of recent developments to all who can produce the item, and allow each recipient to make their own modifications to the blueprint. While they are more than willing to give the Insurrectionists blueprints and plans to the cutting edge technology developed in their labs, often times they will not have the necessary industrial capacity to fabricate them, making the UEG and corporate parties the primary beneficiaries of the work of the Argonauts. While they believe in open source technology, the also believe in responsible use of said technology, and keep close tabs on anything created using their specifications, and will often refuse to distribute technological plans to those they deem irresponsible. In extreme cases they deem the users to be a danger to the safety of humanity, they will deploy Medean assets to 'recover' their technology by force. History Unbeknownst to all but a few, the Argonauts ancient ancestors are 20th century scientific organization known as the Jasons. The Jasons were internally formed by the Americans, to advise the government on all matters regarding science and technology. Similarly to the modern Argonauts, they were filled with prestigious minds spanning across many fields of research. However, as time went on, the Jasons became a more international endeavor, and were placed under the jurisdiction of the United Nations, and when humanity took to the stars, the UEG. The international expansion the Jasons experience increased their membership tenfold. As humanity grew across the stars and many new vistas of research were opened to the organization, their membership bloomed even further When the Covenant war broke out in the early 2500s, funding to the Jason's research was steadily being cut to support the war effort. After over two centuries of service, the Jasons were finally disbanded in 2535, the researchers were sent back to their institutes, and largely forgotten about during the war. Many of their current research projects were scrapped and forgotten as well. This disbanding would lead to the birth of the modern Argonauts. The founders were scientists not deterred by the loss of support from the UEG. Through many years of arduous and tedious political maneuvering, many of the most prominent institutions in the Inner Colonies agreed to fund them. Mission The Medeans The paramiliary wing of the Argonauts, who defend Argonaut labs and researchers, and seize technology being used inappropriately. The Argonauts were aware of the sensitive position they had put themselves in when they had promised open source technology and denied it to elements they deemed dangerous. As such, they raised a force of mercenaries, ex-Great War veterans, and even a SPARTAN. Being unsatisfied with ordinary soldiers, the Argonauts hired a cadre of former-ODSTs to hone their makeshift army into a reputable fighting force. While the Medeans are relatively few in number, numbering 1000 active soldiers at full strength, they have the advantage of advanced training, as well as what few mechanical or biological augmentations the laboratories can produce. Medeans also serve as the weapons design wing of the Argonauts, and often equip their troops with prototype equipment. As military technology advances, tactics must advance as well, thus the Medeans also devise new ways to operate and combat new weaponry in the most efficient ways possible. The Medeans are also charged with the unenviable task of seizing technology from undesirables. Among these include Insurrectionist radicals, UNSC warmongers, and corporate arms dealers. They strike without warning, and in concealing body armor. Utilizing stealth technology and communications jammers to sow confusion and disorder among their enemies, they retrieve any examples of Argonaut technology as quickly as possible before vanishing. Their operations are extremely delicate, and can cause an extreme amount of political backlash for the Argonauts if they fail, as Medean recovery teams are a prime example of Argonaut hypocrisy. Medeans have CBRN equipment at the ready, in case of hazardous material leaks from station power sources, or from severe laboratory accidents. In the event of crisis, they are trained to ensure the safety of personnel, followed by the safety of equipment, before their own safety. Notable Members Doctor Henry David Crushaw - Head of Nanomechanical Development Doctor Oscar Harold Sarif - Head of Artificial Intelligence Development Doctor Ekaterina Sokolov - Head of Biomechanical Augmentation Doctor Li Jie Deng - Head of Biological Enhancement Stations A majority of funding provided to the Medeans are spent on the upkeep of their three small O'Neill habitats, and a beehive habitat. These four habitats each orbit their own planet in the Scorpio Gamma system. Only one of these planets are habitable by humanity, however, the Argonauts lacked the funding to support a colonization effort. Their primary habitat is Gagarin Station, the O'Neill cylinder orbiting Oppenheimer. Gagarin is less a research facility and more a museum. One that is open to public visitation. Busts and statues of the most successful, well-known, and innovative Argonauts line the station walls. Examples and diagrams of Argonaut work are also present here. Gagarin is also where talks between the Argonauts and other factions take place. These talks are primarily to negotiate cooperation agreements with other research organizations or to evaluate prospective new members. Their second largest habitat is Armstrong, a series of tunnels stretching for several miles into the moon orbiting Newton. Argonaut specialized laboratories are housed in these tunnels, with entire sections of the tunnels being dedicated to nanotechnological research or artificial intelligence research. A majority of the Argonaut's research is performed here, and they cooperate with the personnel on Gagarin to ensure that their technology is safe to release to the masses. Von Braun Station is the home of the Medeans, serving as a research facility, a training ground, and barracks. Von Braun's exterior bristles with point defense systems and missile pods, to deter aggressors. Von Braun holds a full complement of aging unmanned drone fighters to supplement their station-to-ship defenses. The Medeans also use five Albatross transports for rapid transit between stations. Von Braun is also the central data hub for remote sensors in the outer system, allowing the Medeans to detect and formulate responses to threats with haste. Goddard Station is the construction facility of the Argonauts, prototypes developed by the laboratories on Gagarin and Armstrong are put through their paces here. The standards of the Goddard crew are notoriously high, and if even the smallest fault is detected in a prototype, it is sent back to the labs for reworking. Presumably, Goddard Station is the reason for the slow rate of release of Argonaut technology. Notes Rumors that Wallace Fujikawa and Tobias Fleming Shaw were Jasons have been proven false.